The presentation is posted in the board meeting agenda.  Click here to view.

Please visit our website using the following links for information on the extensive measures already in place on our campuses:

• On Campus Preventative Measures
• Health Office Protocols and Procedures
• Health Video Playlist

At this time, face coverings will be required by all employees and students (1st grade - 12th grade) on all campuses and school buses, as per Maricopa County emergency order.  Should this change, we will notify our parents and families.

As a school district, we are following the County guidelines regarding the wearing of face coverings, order put into effect June 19, 2020.  If a student comes under the exemptions for wearing face coverings, under the County guidelines, please reach out directly to your campus.  At this time, as per the County guidelines, Preschool and Kindergarten students will not be required to wear face coverings.  

Yes, it is new and improved and now called GPS Global Academy, and offered K-12.

A key enhancement is the instructional model which will include online synchronous class lessons taught by full-time teachers who will also be meeting with students in small groups and providing additional assistance via phone, WebEx, and email during the school day. 

Also, the teachers will be enriching the courses, assignments and assessments and everything will be assigned by our full-time GPS teachers. 

These enhancements will create a much more interactive and teacher-supported experience for our students learning online through GPS Global Academy.

Also, GPS Global Academy will now offer Advanced Placement (AP) courses and Honors courses for our students.

To learn more please visit www.gilbertschools.net/global

Our Building Blocks 3 and 4, Kindergarten-Prep, TOYBOX are offered in-person on-campus. A range of preventative measures are in place:

• Drop-off/pick-up provided with curbside procedures.
• Smaller class sizes are anticipated due to lower numbers
• Frequent breaks and washing of hands between rotations
• Within classes students stay in groups of five
• Regular hand washing and hand sanitizing stations available in every classroom
• Individually assigned manipulative and instructional materials, as possible

Amanecer Developmental Preschool is in person.

Kindergarten-Prep is offering an online option in addition to their in-person programs.

Yes. We recommend that students wait until a quarter or semester break, but families may make arrangements with their destination school on an appropriate return date.

A number of changes to our classrooms and campus set-ups are being made to reduce the proximity of students as much as possible. It is important to note that working in groups will still take place and will be managed in such a way the learning and health and safety are supported as best as possible under the current circumstances. These include but are not limited to: 

• When possible, student desks and tables will be front-facing.  At the elementary level,  tables may have taped off student areas to help define the individual student areas.
• Cleaning protocols including deep cleaning and frequent cleaning of high-touch surfaces
• Staggering bell schedules during the school day at the secondary level
• Hand sanitizer stations throughout the school
• Plexiglass in specific areas
• Sanitization “gun” for deep cleaning of schools
• Not sharing supplies, for example pencils, instruments
• Students welcome to bring their own wipes
• Opening up common areas during lunch to create extra space for students to spread out to eat, library, grass areas etc.  At the elementary level, spacing students apart and lunch periods staggered as needed.
• Face coverings will be required for both students (1st grade - 12th grade) and staff as per the Maricopa

You can view more details regarding Health Services procedures and protocols that have been put in place here.

Please click here to view details of campus mitigation strategies including enhanced cleaning protocols.

Parents are responsible to stay informed on the latest facts and new developments related to COVID-19.

• Stay informed about COVID-19 through reputable sources such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Arizona Department of Health Services (AZDHS). This includes new information on symptoms, complications, how it is transmitted, and how to prevent transmission.
• Recognize the symptoms of COVID-19 (coughing, fever, shortness of breath etc.) in your child.
• Seek medical advice by calling your health facility/provider and then take your child in, if advised.
• Remember that symptoms of COVID-19 such as cough or fever can be similar to those of the flu or the common cold.
• Practice and reinforce good prevention habits with your family.
  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick. 
  • Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash. 
  • Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating, and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.

We are following the recommendations of the Maricopa Department of Health regarding criteria for what constitutes exposure and what is recommended for isolation of positive and exposed students and staff. We will notify parents of any exposure their child has from a positive staff member or classmate. At the time of the notification there will be directives depending on the type of exposure.  Currently the directive from Maricopa Department of Health is not to send home an entire class due to one positive student or teacher as this is now a community-wide illness. We will continue to work closely with the Department of Health regarding these guidelines as well as reporting and positive cases at each campus.

Parents will be educated on the signs and symptoms of COVID-19 and will be required to keep their child home if they are exhibiting any signs. Parents will be expected to check their student(s) for symptoms daily.  All of our campuses are staffed with Nurses and/or Health Assistants who will assess students who become ill while at school. 

Additionally, we have modified our Health Office guidelines in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19. This will help us assist students who require first aid and medication, while also preventing them from being exposed to children who become ill while at school.

The Student Health Assessment in English and Spanish can be viewed here - www.gilbertschools.net/healthservices

Employees will be educated on the signs and symptoms of COVID-19 and will be required to stay home if they are exhibiting any signs. Employees will also be asked to complete a self-screening questionnaire, daily.  All of our campuses are staffed with Nurses and/or Health Assistants who will provide support should an employee have questions or need to be assessed while at work.

Elementary

At the elementary school level, lunch will be staggered and the time between each lunch period lengthened to allow for fewer students in the lunchroom at a time.  Students coming from the classroom will be organized alphabetically and walked to the cafeteria.  Each student will be identified at the cash register where the nutrition services worker can identify the student’s account.  Otherwise, the student must know his student number so that staff can input the account information. Again, hand sanitizers and ongoing cleaning of tables and chairs will occur throughout the lunch periods.

Secondary

Tables will be spread out in the lunchroom with fewer chairs at each table. Students will be provided spaces outside, in libraries, and other areas throughout the building to eat their lunch spreading out students.  Again, hand sanitizers and ongoing cleaning of tables and chairs will occur throughout the lunch periods.

Important Reminders for Elementary and Secondary

1.  Student cards shall be discontinued for the start of school - students must be identified with the Point of Service machine or must know their account number to be entered in by nutrition services staff.
2. Salad bars will be eliminated at least initially at the start of school
3. Choice will be provided but each meal and side will be prepared in the morning and packaged to facilitate placing on student trays and to minimize clean up and spillage
4. Cafeteria tables will be marked decreasing table capacity by 30% to 50% to minimize proximity to other students.
5. Additional garbage cans will be provided for disposal of completed meal packaging and leftovers. 
6. After each lunch period, tables and seats will be wiped down for the next group of students.

As the numbers for breakfast are much less than for lunch, it is expected that breakfast will occur as normal as possible.  Seating will be provided, however, further apart and hand sanitizing stations will be readily available in the cafeterias and multipurpose rooms.  Students will be required to wear a mask while entering the cafeteria and will remove their masks once seated in order to eat, under the current Maricopa County Order as of 06/19/2020.

Our guiding principles for delivering support for our special education students and families during this time include: 

• Providing instruction based upon IEP goals
• Providing accommodations and/or modifications based upon student needs
• Communicating clearly and in a timely manner
• Implementing best teaching practices

On campuses, we will provide special education support through:

• Service delivery on campus per IEP 
• Accommodations/modifications provided per IEP
• Related service transportation provided
• IEPs and Evaluations conducted on campus

For our Secondary Flex option:

• 7-12 students attend some classes on campus, 5 days/week
• A portion of the schedule is provided in-person and the remainder online
• Services and specialized  instruction will be provided
• Accommodations and modifications are provided
• Campus staff will contact parents to discuss scheduling of courses.

For full-time online GPS Global Academy, special education support will be available for K-12th grade and:

• Instruction is provided per school calendar
• Accommodations and modifications will be provided
• Access to teacher(s) 5 days per week
• In-person small group service/instruction available as appropriate
• Staff will contact parents to discuss appropriate online learning supports and courses.

Yes, VIK is provided at our 27 elementary locations with structured door side drop-off/pick-up.  There will be small/consistent group assignments and a wide range of preventative measures in place, including cleaning protocols.

Dual-Language Spanish Immersion is currently offered at Gilbert Elementary.  For the beginning of the 2020/21 school year, we will be offering Dual-Language Spanish Immersion through the on-campus in-person option.  All members of our Gilbert Elementary community will be receiving direct communication from our Gilbert Elementary Principal Justin Sremba and his team.

Within the curriculum maps and scope and sequence documents that teachers use, there are intentional notifications and resources to provide additional support as students learn the current grade-level standards that would build on 4th quarter concepts. In addition, there will be diagnostic screeners available for teachers to identify students who have gaps in foundational skills. Using whole group, small group, and/or intervention settings, teachers will support students with specific identified needs in reading either in person or through the virtual platform.

Students at GPS Global Academy can be eligible to participate in extracurricular activities at their home school as long as they stay current with their coursework.

Yes!

The GPS gifted model provides gifted services to elementary students, grades 4-6 grades and will be available in all delivery model choices:

• Gifted math will be accelerated one year above the actual grade level.
• Gifted sixth graders will use the adopted ELA curriculum with learning extensions that include critical and higher-order thinking skills.

Gifted services as part of the Flex options will be based upon the need and availability of resources.

Gifted Information (pdf)

GTC students can take honors courses in all delivery models and will receive additional support from an assigned gifted teacher. With the flex model, they can take the courses that they prefer in person and then the other honors classes online. With the GPS Global Academy model, students will take the honors courses online.

Gifted Information (pdf)